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New Zealand has been hit by one of its worst storms in 50 years, causing flooding, land slips and power outages as residents described being struck by "gusts like freight trains".

The storm, the remnants of tropical Cyclone Cook, made landfall on Thursday night, local time, in the Bay of Plenty on the North Island, bypassing Auckland before sweeping south.

Residents in low-lying towns were ordered to evacuate as authorities placed some regions under a state of emergency,

The strong winds uprooted trees, caused fifteen-foot ocean swells, toppled power lines and left more than 20,000 properties without electricity.

Residents in northern New Zealand are advised to evacuate due to floodsCredit:
EPA/NZ DEFENCE FORCE

Flights across the country were cancelled as authorities warned residents to change their Easter travel plans. No injuries have yet been reported.

"We are watching very carefully, we're not through this yet," said Sarah Stuart-Black, director of the ministry of civil defence and emergency management.

The storm was expected to hit Wellington, the capital, early on Friday morning but was expected to lose force as it travelled south.

Authorities warned that the torrential rain was likely to be followed by flooding. More than 100 schools were closed.

Malcolm Davie, who lives near the city of Napier, said his home had been hit by “enormous gusts like freight trains”.

"It's an absolute howling gale here,” he told the New Zealand Herald.

Remnants of Cyclone Cook approaching New ZealandCredit:
EPA/NASA

“Furniture's been blowing around, the power's been out for about two hours and there are trees down, round the area and on our property. We're really getting hammered. It's a lot worse than we thought.”

Jane Baird, who lives in the small town of Opotiki, said the wind was “extreme”.

"I was driving home and there were big branches coming across the road, and there were big gusts of wind [hitting] my little car," she said.

Alan Baird, a farmer visiting the town, said: "The power's out, trees are down, and it's blowing a bloody gale but there's bugger-all [no] rain. About 6.15pm it came in with a vengeance - there was no lead-in to it."